PLANT BASTARD: Monotropa uniflora

What an odd little plant, eh?

Monotropa uniflora is a plant (not a fungus!) that does not contain chlorophyll. It is one of only 3,000 plant species that are non-photosynthetic. It is commonly known as Ghost Plant, Indian Pipe, or Corpse Plant.

It is found in the deep, dark parts of the United States east of the Great Plains. It doesn't need sunlight, so it hides out in the dense forest understory like a little creep. Oddly enough it is part of the family Ericaceae which is also responsible for blueberries (a personal hate).

So how does Monotropa get nutrients? It teams up with mycorrhizal fungi, which take carbon dioxide from a host tree and convert the CO₂ to sucrose. From there the fungus turns the sucrose into sugar alcohols called trehalose. Monotropa then tricks the fungus into perceiving they are in a mycorrhizal relationship together, and the fungus gives up the sugar alcohols to Monotropa and then receives nothing in return. Monotropa, what a bastard.